The UWM Student Association, in partnership with Student Involvement and Sociocultural Programming, is honored to welcome two of the country’s most powerful activists to campus. Black Lives Matter co-founders Alicia Garza and Patrisse Cullors will discuss the movement that woke up the world, prompting widespread activism, community organizing and coalition building in an effort to expose and eradicate the social injustices plaguing our society.

In 2013, Garza and Cullors (with Opal Tometi) started the hashtag #BlackLivesMatter as a response to the acquittal of George Zimmerman in the shooting death of unarmed black teen Trayvon Martin. Since then, their message has seamlessly shifted from the internet into the streets and mainstream media, creating an international movement of organizations and individuals committed to restoring black dignity and eliminating racial disparities deeply embedded within policies and systems.

“The UWM Student Association stands in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement, and more importantly, with our students of color,” said SA President Mike Sportiello. “The racial disparities affecting our city, our school, our home are why it is so important for us to engage in dialogue about the problems facing us all. We believe the BLM movement has found a way to engage everyone in the dialogue.”

With a vision of justice for all, Garza and Cullors will educate and inspire participants to stand together to question and challenge inequitable systems, transform society and cultivate a world where all people are valued, respected and can live with dignity.